US3461278A - Aggregating device for use in electrical totalisators and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1969 R. E. WELLS 3,461,273

AGGREGATING DEVICE FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL TOTALISATQRS AND THE LIKE Filed Jgne B, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet RESTCRE Aug. 12,1969 WELLS 3,461,278

AGGREGATING DEVICE FOR USE IN ELECTRICAL TOTALISATORS AND THE LIKE Filed June 2, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 United States Patent US. Cl. 235-92 8 Claims This invention relates to aggregating units responding to multiple inputs of signals representative of stake values in an electrical totalisator and for summating and displaying the summated total.

In automatic pari-mutuel betting systems, as well as other race course betting equipment, it is the established practice to provide electrically actuated aggregators for obtaining the separate totals of money values associated with the betting transactions for each event contested. As there are in most cases a very large number, often well in excess of 50, of ticket selling machines, very heavy demands are imposed upon the aggregating units. For this reason these units usually involve complicated circuitry so that the various values signalled in respect of a wager may be recorded simultaneously. For convenience and simplicity throughout the totalisator it is conventional to encode the various values associated with a single wager, i.e. the stake, collect or pay value, 'by the appropriate marking of a plurality of lines, each when marked being representative of a respective value and/ or decimal order of value.

Different considerations and service demands are involved in the equipment available at an off-course totalisator agency. Considerably fewer ticket machines are employed at these locations and it would be uneconomical to install aggregating units of the kind employed in race course totalisators. Furthermore, the various totals derived as a result of the betting transactions at the agency would be very much less. A large number of aggregating units or devices will be required in the agency equipment to provide for summation of the stakes wagered simultaneously on the repective contestants in many events. Thus any economy in the construction of an aggregating unit will have a considerable effect on the overall cost of the equipment.

In some instances the progressive totals of the betting transactions at the agencies are provided in money units. However, in many other cases it is conventional to reckon the transaction in terms of multiples of a basic unit. The system to which the present invention is particularly applied is of the latter type in which the basic unit is 2/6.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an aggregating device having a summating capacity sufficient for the requirements at an off-course totalisator agency and which is considerably simpler in construction than units of this kind used hitherto.

In a general form the invention provides an aggregating device for summating the stakes wagered on a contestant with an electrical totalisator in which all money values are expressed in terms of a basic unit, said device comprising rotating stepping counters each for displaying in turn the numerals of a respective decimal digit of the progressively summated total, individual input circuits for the counters, means for receiving in turn on individual lines signals representative of the basic unit and difierent products of the basic unit, the second lowest signalled value being double the basic unit and the higher signalled values being a decimal product of the immediately lower value, operating windings for each counter, means responsive to a full rotation of a counter to pulse once the winding of the next higher order counter, means for counting each signal received representative of the basic unitvalue, means responsive to each '2 count of the counting means to pulse once the counter of the lowest digit of the summated total whereby each of said digital counters counts in even numbers to double its normal summating capacity, and means for providing an indication to an operator when a counter is positioned between the numerals of 9 and 20 so that a mental addition may be made to the numeral indicated by the counter of the next higher digit to obtain the summated total.

The device of this invention is based upon the realization that the normal summating capacity of a decimal counter can be doubled if a simple mental addition is made by the operator when reading-off the progressive total indicated by the device. It has been found that once an operator has familiarized himself with the required addition occurring under certain conditions, reading-off of the total can be done quickly and accurately.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aggregating device in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the interconnection of the components of the aggregating device of FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings the aggregating device of the invention consists of a series of counters 3a, 3b and 3c of a type similar to the device described in copending application Ser. No. 310,711 now Patent No. 3,329,805. Each device has an electro-magnet 4 mounted upon a metal baseplate formed from an encircling casing 6. A pivoted armature plate 7 is positioned for attraction by the core of the electro-magnet 4 and is urged by a spring 9 to a position spaced from the core. An indicating drum 10 mounted upon a spindle 11 is rotatable with respect to the casing 6 and has 10 peripheral calibrated faces 12. A 10 toothed ratchet wheel 13 is formed with the drum 10 which is engaged between opposing jaws 14a and 14b formed on an outer extensions 15 of the armature plate 7. Pulsing of the electro-magnet 4 rotates the indicating drum 10 step-by-step under the rocking action of the opposing jaws 14a and 141;. Each full pulse, i.e. energization and then release, will cause the drum 10 to rotate of a revolution. The series of three counters is housed within a metal tray 16 one wall 17 of which is provided with viewing windows 18 through which the peripheral faces 12 on the drum 10 may each in turn be viewed. This wall 17 is preferably pivoted to permit it to be opened out thus providing access to the individual counters 3. A set of change-over contacts 19 for each counter is carried by the armature 7 and operated by a peripheral tab 20 on the respective drum 10. A lateral spring set 21 whose contacts 22 are operated by an extending finger 23 on the armature 7 is also provided.

The aggregating device illustrated in the accompanying drawings is designed to summate values signalled to it of the order of the basic unit or any one of 3 multiples thereof. By suitable modification of the equipment described herein signals representative of other values than those specified may be employed while still retaining the advantages flowing from the invention. It has been estimated that the provision for a summated total of 250 will adequately cater for the transactions normally received at most off-course agency locations. This as expressed in terms of the basic unit would represent 2,000 betting units. It is not normally possible to provide a total of this dimension by the use of 3 decimal counters but this has been made possible by the invention in a fashion which will be .apparent hereafter.

The three counters 3 are positioned in a line each representing the hundreds, tens and units digits, respectively, of the summated total. A binary counter stepping device 24 or relay is provided to receive signals representative of the basic unit. Preferably, however, for conformity and economy a similar counter to the digital counters 3a, 3b and 3c is used and positioned alongside the units digit counter 3a. The function of this unit 24 is to count the signals of the basic unit received by the aggregator and to transfer every two counts into a signal for pulsing the electro-magnet of the units digit counter 3a. It will, therefore, be necessary that the units digit counter 3a for each step counts two basic units. The calibrations on the ten peripheral faces 12 of the counter 3a thus proceed from to 18. A full rotation of the units drum thereby corresponds to .a recorded total of twenty units. A single peripheral tab is provided both on this counter as well as the remaining two digital counters 3b and 3c to efiect change over of the armature contacts 19 to signal to the counter 31) for the next advanced digit in the progression sequence for the pulsing of its electromagnet 4. In this way the tens digit counter 3b counts in steps of twenty from 0 to 18 with a similar function for the hundreds digit counter 3c. It is preferred that on each indicating drum 10 the first numeral of the numbers ranging between 10 and 18 inclusive, are applied in a distinctive colour from the other numerals.

It will thus be necessary for an operator requiring to read-off the summated total on the aggregator to add mentally the numeral 1, which is distinctively coloured, to the numeral revealed by the drum 10 of the next higher digital counter 3 in order to obtain the summated total. For example, say 18 be indicated on each of the three drums 10, the l of the tens digit in each number will be distinctly coloured so that when the mental addition is made the total will be 1,999. This condition represents the maximum summating capacity of the aggre- "ator. D The additional counter 24 receiving basic unit signals is provided with a peripheral tab 20 for each of its alternate positions and is calibrated in five groups of two positions alternating between 0 and 1. For a complete rotation of its drum 10 five separate pulses are transmitted to the units digital counter 3a. The electrical circuitry of the aggregator is shown in FIG. 2, which shows each pair of normally open contacts 21 being connected on one side to potential. The other side of one pair 26 of the open contacts is commoned to the corresponding contact in the remaining digital counters 3 and the basic unit counter 24 and connected to the winding of a RE- STORE relay. The other side of the second pair 27 of contacts is connected to the moving arm 28 of the armature contacts 21 of the same counter 3. The normally made fixed contact 29 of the armature contacts 21 of the four counters 24 and 3a, 3b and 3c are commoned and connected to a BR line. The normally open fixed contact 30 of these contacts in each counter is connected to the winding of the electro-magnet 4 of the adjacent counter next advanced in the progression sequence.

Several normally open contacts of an A relay .are connected serially in a connection of individual value signalling lines and the appropriate ones of the windings of the electro-magnets of the four counters. That is, the signalling line 2/6 representative of a value equal to the basic unit is connected to the winding in the basic unit counter 24. Lines 5/-, and 25 representative of values equal to two basic units, 20, and 200 are connected through their normally open contacts to the windings on :the units, tens and hundreds digital counter 3a, 3b and 30 respectively. The RESTORE relay has a single pair of normally closed contacts 31 connected on one side to the A relay group of the remote signalling equipment responding to signals initiated from the ticket issuing machines. The other side of these contacts is connected through a normally closed contact of the A relay to this relays winding.

Due to the above described interconnection of components the aggregator will function as follows:

Firstly the ticket machines provided for operation with this equipment enable registration of wagers only of certain values. Accepting of wagers in a single registration is possible if the value of the stake corresponds to the basic unit or any of the multiples of the basic unit to whose representative signals the digital counters 3a, 3b and 3c respond. Additionally, however, .a single registration at the ticket machines may be made in respect of stakes whose value is two, three or four times the first mentioned values. In the case of the latter values automatic repeaters provide for appropriate repetition of the signal in order to indicate the required multiple to the respective aggregator. As each stake is recorded in the aggregator, potential is applied to the BR line to provide a clearing signal either to free the ticket machine for further registration of wagers or obtain a repeat signal from the connected repeater unit.

Should a wager involving a stake of 2/ 6 be registered by a ticket machine the line 2/ 6 will be marked and the relay A subsequently operated. With closure of this relays contacts the electro-magnet of the first stepping counter 24 will be energised to displace its armature and change-over the contacts of the lateral spring set 21. This will apply potential over the now closed contacts 27 to the train of armature contacts 22 of the counters to the BR line. Simultaneously, potential is applied over the contacts 26 of the lateral spring set 21 to the RE- STORE relay to break the input contacts 31 and release the A relay. A similar function occurs in respect of the digital counters 3a, 3b and 30 when a signal representafive of another value is applied to its respective signalling According to the present preferred embodiment the signalling lines are representative of wagers whose stake values are 2/6, 5/-, 50/- and 25, respectively. By suitable provision of repeaters a single registration at the ticket machine may be made where a stake of 10/- or 1 is wagered. 5 and 10 may be provided for in a similar way by repetition of the 50/ signal either once or three times and 50 and 100 by similar repetition of the 25 signal.

Signalling between lower digital counters 3 and immediately succeeding digital counters is effected through change-over of the armature contacts 22 in a manner as previously described.

A novel aggregating device has been described in the foregoing passages by reference to a preferred embodiment but it is to be understood that considerable modification is possible within the scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. An aggregating device for summating the stakes wagered on a contestant with an electrical totalisator in which all money values are expressed in terms of a basic unit, said device comprising rotatable stepping counters each for displaying in turn the numerals of a respective decimal digit of the progressively summated total, individual input circuits for the counters, means for receiving on individual lines signals representative of the basic unit and different products of the basic unit, the second lowest signalled value being double the basic unit and the higher signalled values being a decimal product of the immediately lower value, operating windings for each counter, means responsive to a full rotation of a counter to pulse once the winding of the next higher order counter, means for counting each signal received representative of the basic unit value, means responsive to each 2 count of the counting means to pulse once the counter of the lowest digit of the summated total whereby each of said digital counters counts in even numbers to double its normal summating capacity, and means for providing an indication to an operator when a counter is positioned between the numerals of 9 and 20 so that a mental addition may be made to the numeral indicated by the next higher digit to obtain the summated total.

2. An aggregating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the value of the basic unit is 2/6 and the other values signalled on the individual lines are 5/-, 50/ and 25.

3. An aggregating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for indicating to the operator that a mental addition is to be made is an additionally displayed calibration on the rotating counters.

An aggregating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rotating counter has a display drum calibrated in steps of even numbers from 0 to 18.

5. An aggregating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for counting the basic unit signals is a further rotating stepping counter with a calibrated display drum having 10 steps, each alternate step being calibrated with the numeral 1 which when displayed indicates to the operator that one unit is to be added to the total indicated by the digital counters of the summated total.

6. An aggregating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each counter has an armature and is stepped by the pulsing of its armature, and a first set of contacts is operated with each pulse of the armature to connect potential to a return line to provide a clear signal indicating recordal of the signalled value.

7. An aggregating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means responsive to a full rotation of a counter is a second set of contacts carried by the armature and operated with each rotation of a tab on the counter, said second set of contacts being serially connected with the return line and operable to transfer potential from the re turn line to the Winding of the next higher order counter.

8. An aggregating device for automatically summating and providing an indication of the progressive summated total of stake values wagered on a contestant with an electrical totalisator in which the values are expressed in terms of a basic unit value, said device comprising three rotatably stepping 10 position counters for summating the units, tens and hundreds digits, respectively, of the summated total, an input relay, individual input lines for signals representative of values equal to one basic unit, two basic units, 20 basic units and 200 basic units, a connection from three of the input lines through normally open contacts of the input relay to the counters, the lines individual to values of 2, 20 and 200 basic units being connected respectively to the units, tens and hundreds digital counters, a fourth stepping counter preceding the units digital counter in the summation sequence and connected through a normally open contact of the input relay to the input line representative of a value equal to the basic unit, means including contacts operable with stepping of the four counters for signalling from a counter to the next succeeding counter in the summation sequence with each full rotation of the digital counters and each 2 count of the fourth counter, an operating winding for each counter responding to signals from the input lines and in the case of the first mentioned three counters also responding to signals from the preceding counters, a rotatable digit indicating drum on each of the four counters, calibrations on the drum of said fourth counter representing 0 and 1 alternately and calibrations on the drums of said first mentioned three counters in even numbers from 0 and 18, and means for attracting attention to the presence of the tens digit whenever the even numbers from 10 to 18 are displayed whereby a mental addition may be made by the operator of 1 to the numeral displayed by the next higher order digital counter to obtain the summated total value of stakes wagered.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,094,122 9/ 1937 Haselton 340379 3,112,068 11/1963 Hartkorn 235-92 3,376,569 4/1968 Watkins 340-3 MAYNARD R. WILBUR, Primary Examiner J. M. THESZ, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Claims (1)

1. AN AGGREGATING DEVICE FOR SUMMATING THE STAKES WAGERED ON A CONTESTANT WITH AN ELECTRICAL TOTALISATOR IN WHICH ALL MONEY VALUES ARE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF A BASIC UNIT, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING ROTATABLE STEPPING COUNTERS EACH FOR DISPLAYING IN TURN THE NUMERALS OF RESPECTIVE DECIMAL DIGIT OF THE PROGRESSIVELY SUMMATED TOTAL, INDIVIDUAL INPUT CIRCUITS FOR THE COUNTERS, MEANS FOR RECEIVING ON INDIVIDUAL LINES SIGNALS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BASIC UNIT AND DIFFERENT PRODUCTS OF THE BASIC UNIT, THE SECOND LOWEST SIGNALLED VALUE BEING DOUBLE THE BASIC UNIT AND THE HIGHER SIGNALLED VALUES BEING A DECIMAL PRODUCT OF THE IMMEDIATELY LOWER VALUE, OPERATING WINDINGS FOR EACH COUNTER, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A FULL ROTATION OF A COUNTER TO PULSE ONCE THE WINDING OF THE NEXT HIGHER ORDER COUNTER, MEANS FOR COUNTING EACH SIGNAL RECEIVED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BASIC UNIT VALUE, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO EACH 2 COUNT OF THE COUNTING MEANS TO PULSE ONCE THE COUNTER OF THE LOWEST DIGIT OF THE SUMMATED TOTAL WHEREBY EACH OF SAID DIGITAL COUNTERS COUNTS IN EVEN NUMBERS TO DOUBLE ITS NORMAL SUMMATING CAPACITY, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR WHEN A COUNTER IS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE NUMERALS OF 9 AND 20 SO THAT A MENTAL ADDITION MAY BE MADE TO THE NUMERAL INDICATED BY THE NEXT HIGHER DIGIT TO OBTAIN THE SUMMATED TOTAL.

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